Compositions for golf equipment

Abstract

A golf ball comprising at least one thermoplastic, thermoset, castable, or millable material formed from a composition comprising at least one telechelic polycarbonate copolymer formed from at least one polyol telechelic and at least one carbonate-forming compound; wherein the polyol telechelic is a dimer diol having a structure of: where R is the same or different moieties chosen from hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, aralkyl, alicyclic, cycloalkyl, and alkoxy groups; x+y≧8; and m+n≧8; and wherein the dimer diol is mixed with at least one C 3 to C 12 aliphatic polyol before being reacted to the carbonate-forming compound.

We claim: 
     
       1. A golf ball comprising at least one thermoplastic, thermoset, castable, or millable material formed from a composition comprising at least one telechelic polycarbonate copolymer formed from at least one polyol telechelic and at least one carbonate-forming compound;
 wherein the polyol telechelic is a dimer diol having a structure of: 
 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         where R is the same or different moieties chosen from hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, aralkyl, alicyclic, cycloalkyl, and alkoxy groups; 
         x+y≧8; and 
         m+n≧8; 
         and wherein the dimer diol is mixed with at least one C 3  to C 12  aliphatic polyol before being reacted to the carbonate-forming compound. 
       
     
     
       2. The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises at least one reactant chosen from isocyanates and curatives. 
     
     
       3. The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the carbonate-forming compound comprises diaryl carbonates, dialkyl carbonates, dicycloalkyl carbonates, diaryalkyl carbonates, dioxolanones, hexanediol bis-chlorocarbonates, phosgene or urea. 
     
     
       4. The golf ball of  claim 3 , wherein the carbonate-forming compound comprises diphenyl carbonates, ditolyl carbonates, dixylyl carbonates, dinaphthyl carbonates, dimethyl carbonates, diethyl carbonates, dipropyl carbonates, dibutyl carbonates, diamyl carbonates, dicyclohexyl carbonates, ethylene carbonate, propylene carbonate, butylene carbonate, glycerine carbonate, 4-chloro-1,3 -dioxolan-2-one, 4-hydroxymethyl-1,3-dioxolan-2-one, 4-phenyl-1,3-dioxolan-2-one, 4-methoxymethyl-1,3-dioxolan-2-one, 4,4-dimethyl-1,3-dioxolan-2-one, hexane-1,6-diol bis-chlorocarbonate, phosgene, or urea. 
     
     
       5. The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the polyol telechelic has a molecular weight of 150–1,000. 
     
     
       6. The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the polyol telechelic further comprises a polyol polyether formed from 50–100 mole % of at least a first diol and 0–50 mole % of at least a second diol, the first and second diols being independently chosen from 1,5-pentanediol, 3-methyl-1,5-pentanediol, 1,6-hexanediol, 1,7-heptanediol, 1,8-octanediol, 1,9-nonanediol, 1,10-decanediol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, tetrapropylene glycol, or oligomer diols of ethylene oxide or propylene oxide. 
     
     
       7. The golf ball of  claim 6 , wherein the polyol polyether is mixed with at least one C 3  to C 12  aliphatic polyol before being reacted to the carbonate-forming compound. 
     
     
       8. The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises at least one isocyanate-containing prepolymer, and wherein the telechelic polycarbonate copolymer is used to cure the prepolymer. 
     
     
       9. The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the material at least in part forms at least one portion of the golf ball comprising an inner center, core, inner core layer, intermediate core layer, outer core layer, intermediate layer, cover, inner cover layer, intermediate cover layer, outer cover layer, discontinuous layer, wound layer, foamed layer, lattice network layer, web or net, adhesion or coupling layer, barrier layer, layer of uniformed or non-uniformed thickness, layer having a plurality of discrete elements, or a layer filled with liquid, gel, powder, or gas. 
     
     
       10. The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the telechelic polycarbonate copolymer has a ratio of ether linkages to carbonate linkages of 5:1 to 1:5. 
     
     
       11. The golf ball of  claim 10 , wherein the ratio is 3:1 to 1:3. 
     
     
       12. The golf ball of  claim 10 , wherein the telechelic polycarbonate copolymer has a hydroxyl number of 30 or greater. 
     
     
       13. The golf ball of  claim 10 , wherein the telechelic polycarbonate copolymer has a softening point of 40° C. or less, and/or a viscosity at 50° C. of 8,500 or less. 
     
     
       14. The golf ball of  claim 10 , wherein the telechelic polycarbonate copolymer is liquid at room temperature.